even when you want it to, the line never ends
by AtLoLevad
Summary: Steve and Bucky have a heart-to-heart after the birth of Steve's first child. Appearances by the other Avengers. No slash. Possible CA:TWS spoilers


**A/N: Hi guys! Okay, so this one really was born from my mind kicking around the opening scene. i didn't want to write it down because I wasn't sure I could get it exactly the way I had pictured it. But I think this is pretty close to how i had it in my head. **

**This isn't my first foray into Avengers fanfic. I wrote a 35 chapter story (Superhero Life) a while back. But I like this one so much better. Like, a thousand times better. You could go read that one if you want, but I'd rather you didn't. **

**This is also my first time writing Bucky and I hope I did him justice. Actually, i hope I did them all justice. LEt me know in a review =)**

* * *

"Looks just like you, punk."

Steve's mouth turned up in a tired smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling underneath the brim of his Yankees cap, "Jerk."

Bucky blew out a breath of air, not quite a laugh, but close. He was leaning against the doorframe to the hospital's nursery, an inner battle waging.

"Of course, I mean the pre-super soldier Steve. Kid's got your scrawny neck," the side of his mouth turned up the tiniest bit.

Steve shook his head, "Not even a day old and you're already making fun."

Bucky rubbed a hand through his hair, had he gone too far?

But no, Steve was smiling.

"I don't see it though," Steve cradled his newborn son just a little bit closer, "I think he looks like Kit."

Bucky squinted at the baby from the doorframe, yeah he looked a little like his mom, but the eyes and the nose and the chin? All Steve.

"She never saw you growin' up," Bucky shrugged, crossing his arms.

"Yeah," Steve agreed, sounding far away, "I wish she could've though."

Before Bucky could say anything, Steve shook his head, as if clearing the thoughts from his mind.

"Doesn't matter. She knows me now. Did you see her?" his best friend's blue eyes are bright, happy.

Bucky nodded, "She looks good. Best looking dame I've ever seen."

Steve snorted a laugh, "Call Nat, she'll find a really great girl for you, one that isn't my wife."

Steve's statement finally, _finally_, gets a smile, a real smile, from Bucky. The man known to the world as The Winter Soldier scoffs, "I don't think…maybe we'll hold off on blind dates for now."

Steve shrugged, "Up to you. She'll hound you though."

"Noted," Bucky brushed his hand through his hair again.

Steve watched the movement, it seemed like his best friend had picked up some nervous habits. Post-HYDRA Bucky was a lot different from 1940s Bucky, Steve was coming to learn.

Even though he wanted to pretend that they could pick up their friendship where they left off, Steve had to make changes.

Like now, when Bucky didn't seem to want to get any closer than six or seven feet, Steve was harshly reminded that Bucky had been brainwashed for years.

But then Bucky would say something, or do something, and Steve could almost forget the decades that had been lost and it was like he was a scrawny kid from Brooklyn again, fighting in alleys with his best friend.

The baby in his arms yawned, breaking Steve from his thoughts. Bouncing his son carefully, Steve looked at Bucky.

"Want to hold him?"

Bucky's face paled and his right hand automatically went to his left, fingertips brushing against cold metal.

"No…no…I'm good. You keep him," Bucky muttered, a frown developing on his face.

Standing up, still carefully cradling his son _(god the baby was so small, his head was smaller than one of Steve's biceps. How could this baby survive around super soldiers and gods and assassins and state-of-the-art technology? One of them would surely crush him._ Bucky tried to quench the sudden fear that came on, but this baby was his best friend's _son) _Steve skirted around the plastic bassinets and came to stand next to Bucky.

"Sit down and hold him. It'll be fine," Steve said, voice firm, confident.

"Shouldn't you bring him back to Katherine?" Bucky looked over his shoulder, as if expecting the petite blonde to be behind him.

"When you went in, did she say anything about me bringing him back?" Steve asked, knowing the answer.

"Well, no. Sam was in there, telling her a story. Something about Barton and a fire?" Bucky's brown crinkled in confusion.

Steve nodded, "Of course. Sam and Clint's favorite story. Ask one of them to tell you sometime. Although, I'm surprised you haven't heard it yet."

Bucky was being pushed in the direction of the chair Steve had just gotten up from without even realizing it.

And then he was sitting and a baby was getting placed into his arms.

"Watch his head," Steve reminded, carefully positioning the infant.

The baby's head was resting against his right arm, feet against metal. Bucky watched the tiny face twitch in sleep and his body relaxed.

Steve backed away, feet making no noise on the linoleum floor, a grin lighting up his face.

Bucky was quiet, watching the baby. He really did look just like Steve. He was a skinny little thing, but the weight of him was heavier than any gun Bucky had ever held.

"His name's Liam," Steve supplied in the silence.

Bucky looked up, a little startled, "What?"

"You never asked his name. It's Liam," Steve chewed on the inside of his cheek, a sure sign he was dancing around saying something else.

"Good name," Bucky nodded, looking back down at the baby – at Liam.

"Means 'strong willed warrior,' after Kit's dad," Steve said, stepping forward and brushing a hand over the baby's downy blond hair.

"Fitting," Bucky snorted, "On so many different aspects."

"Yeah, Kit and I figured he'd need a good, strong name to keep up with this crew."

"Liam Rogers," Bucky tested out the name, it sounded good, right. Unlike everything else in his recent life, the baby in his arms wasn't tainted.

"Yeah, Liam Buchanan Rogers," Steve said, casually throwing in his son's middle name, and waiting for a response.

_ Buchanan_.

"Oh no," Bucky shook his head, "Don't do that to the kid. Don't name his after me."

"Too late, we signed the birth certificate an hour ago," Steve laughed, "Besides, what if he was named after the president?"

"Even you're not that old," Bucky smiled, teasing his friend, and then getting serious, "You really shouldn't have done that. What does Katherine think? She can't like that her son is named after HYDRA's personal hit man."

"Former hit man," Steve emphasized, "You're working with us now. And it was her idea."

Bucky shook his head, "I don't believe that."

"Okay, she wanted his middle name to be James, but I suggested Buchanan and she liked it," Steve crossed his arms, "Why don't you want him named after you?"

Bucky raised his eyebrows, "I think, in your innate goodness, you've forgotten all the destruction I caused for almost two and a half years before you and Stark deprogrammed me."

"I haven't forgotten," Steve protested.

"Good, because neither have I," Bucky muttered under his breath.

"Doesn't mean you have to live in the past, Bucky. Everyone should get a second chance. Hell, look at the group I'm living with. All of them, and I mean all, got second chances. Stark's probably on his fifth or sixth."

Mindful of the baby in his arms – his _namesake_ (dammit Steve, why the hell did you have to do that?), Bucky shifted, "I doubt Stark's killed a couple of hundred people."

"Banner has," Steve shot back, "Banner has, and we've embraced him. He's working on his own guilt, just like you should."

Too much guilt to work through. Guilt that was well deserved.

Bucky shook his head, "I think you should take your son and go sit with your wife."

Bucky stood jerkily, and carefully put Liam back in Steve's arms.

He turned stiffly and walked out into the hall, Steve following hot on his heels.

"I'm not giving up on you, Buck."

Bucky smiled joylessly, "I know. 'Till the end of the line. But maybe the line should've ended a long time ago."

Steve was left standing in the hallway, unable to chase after his best friend because of the infant in his arms.

* * *

Bucky didn't get very far after he walked out of the hospital.

A wall of superheroes stood in his way.

Just the superheroes he wanted to avoid.

"Ned Stark! You see the baby?" Tony Stark grinned at him, the pop culture reference flying right over Bucky's head.

The former (or maybe not) soldier nodded, "He's healthy."

Tony squinted at him, and then nodded, "Sounds good. Is the good captain ready for us?"

Bucky shrugged, "Probably. Sam is already up there."

Clint burst forward, running through he doors of the hospital, "If he gave the kid the stuffed bird set, I'll kill him!"

Natasha rolled her eyes, she could only put up with so much of Clint's antics, but now the inclusion of Sam Wilson had only increased them tenfold.

Adjusting her grip on the bags she carried, Natasha brushed past the group, "See you inside."

"Are you coming?" Bruce asked Bucky, waiting until the rest of the Avengers had passed.

"I think I'll come back later," Bucky nodded.

Bruce nodded, a knowing glint in his eyes, "Steve's glad you're around."

Bucky didn't respond – didn't know _how _to respond- so he just nodded again, standing in place as Bruce moved through the sliding doors.

As hard as it was, Bucky was glad to be around too.

He didn't want to go back in just yet, not with everyone in there. But he didn't want to go back to the apartment Stark had gotten for him.

So he walked.

And thought.

* * *

Steve couldn't help but check the doorway to Kit's room every three seconds while Liam was being passed around and cooed over.

Kit tapped on the hand that was resting over her shoulder, waiting to talk until Steve's eyes were on her.

"He'll be back, you know."

Steve made a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat.

Kit laughed, "He will. Dropping that bomb on him wasn't fair and you know it. Bucky's only been back – really back- for less than a year. Give him time."

"But-" Steve protested.

Dropping her head to rest against Steve's shoulder, Kit said, "But nothing. I'm sure you didn't snap back right away. And you weren't put through the same things he was. Time has a excellent way of making you forget things, but it's also hard to forget the things that've happened to you."

Steve dropped a kiss to his wife's hair, "Thank you."

Kit grinned, "My pleasure. That'll be $250, please."

Steve laughed, "I thought you said I get the family discount."

"That was before I knew how much a mess you really are," Kit teased, twisting her fingers with his.

Steve didn't reply, but let a smile stay on his face.

Liam was sitting with Clint, blue eyes wide as the archer dangled a stuffed hawk over his face.

"Enough with the hawk, everyone knows that falcons are where it's at!" Sam exclaimed, knocking the hawk to the floor and flapping the toy falcon's wings over Liam's face.

"You two idiots are going to knock the baby to the floor," Natasha snapped, a smile on her face as she wiggled Liam out of Clint's grasp, settling him firmly in her own arms.

"Maybe we should've held off on the family meeting," Kit whispered.

"This group? Wait?" Steve laughed, "I don't think so. If Liam can survive this, we'll know he can live up to his name."

Tony was trying to convince Natasha to let him have a turn at holding the baby when Steve looked up at the door again.

Bucky stood there, a sheepish smile on his face.

"Aha!" Tony shouted, "Everyone grab coats, winter is here!"

Pepper smack Tony on the arm, even as Bucky laughed. He didn't get the reference, once again, but he knew that Tony's tone held no malice.

"I…forgot to get my namesake a gift," Bucky explained, holding up a plastic shopping bag.

Kit waved her hand, "You didn't have to! Honestly, this kid's going to grow up in Avengers Tower, it'll take all we have to keep him from growing up spoilt."

Bucky and Steve shared a look.

"Maybe you could use another kid from Brooklyn to help keep him grounded?"

Kit looked up at Steve's face and smiled when she saw that he was smiling, "I think we could always use more help."

"What are we? Dummies?" Clint muttered to Sam, who agreed with the sentiment.

"Yes," Natasha whispered, shifting Liam in her arms so she could pinch Clint on the side and before kissing his cheek quickly.

"It's like they think I'm some crazy billionaire or something," Tony smiled at Pepper.

"Anyway," Bucky coughed, clearing his throat, "I couldn't let Liam go more than a day without setting him on the right path."

He tossed the plastic bag to Steve.

Laughing, Steve pulled the tiny navy pinstriped Yankees jersey from the bag.

"This is great, Buck."

"Gotta make sure he supports the right team from the start," Bucky gave an embarrassed grin when Steve stood up to hug him.

"I'm glad you came back," Steve whispered.

Bucky tilted his head, "End of the line, right?"

"Right," Steve nodded, "Come hold your godson again."

Bucky shook his head as Natasha passed him the baby, but looking down at Liam Buchanan Rogers, Bucky felt more like himself than he had in years.

And he was glad the line hadn't ended.

* * *

**A/N #2: Just for anyone that isn't sure, the Ned Stark reference is from Game of Thrones. As is the "winter is coming" line. Ned Stark is the character that says that line, or something similar, and a few comics have been going around Tumblr where Tony says that line to Bucky, so obviously I had to include it =)**

**Drop be a review, pretty please with Sebastian Stan on top.**


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